Stereoscopic picture viewer



NOV. 2l, 1950 C, Q MCCLELLAN 2,530,531

STEREOSCOPIC PICTURE VIEWER Filed March 13, 1946 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENToR: C2 APE/ves SMC CZEMAN.

ATTORNEY Nov. 2l, 1950 c. s. MGCLELLAN s'rEREoscoPIc PICTURE vIEwER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 13, 1946 INVENTOR: @Mem/cf fMc CZfaA/v,

atenied ov. 2i, 195

UNITED STATES PATENT ,Y OFFICE 530,531 sfrnnsosooic PIoTt'iRn-*viuwnn larence S .Meelan, Santa. Monica, Czal'if.` AppiieatiaM-areuis, 19461,V sentirne.. 653,997'

(c1. sas-31;

This invention relates to .picture displaying devices and has particular reference to picture displaying devices which automatically and scfquentially display advertising or the like pic# tures.

The principal object of the invention is tozprou vide .a simple, compact and inexpensive device for displaying in' succession a plurality of pic-1 tures.

Another object is to facilitate removal and re- ,1

placement of pictures .in a device of the .above character.

.Another object is to provide a multiple and sequential picture displaying device which is' 'ene tirely automatic in operation.

Another object is to provide a compact device for sequentially displaying a .plurality of dimensional pictures.

The manner in which the above and .other ,olajects of the invention arev acconiplishedy will .be

readily understood on reference to the ``following.

specication when read inconjunction with the' accompanying. drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a .picture display.; ing device embodying the' presentinvention.

Fig.y 2 is a' sectional plan'` view through the de-A vice.

Fig. 3 is an elevational section-al View through the device and is taken substantially .along the line 3--3 of Fig.` 2.

Fig. 4 isa perspective view of t-lie'slidefsupp'orte ing drum and one of the slide .holders attached thereto.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of theelectrcal circuit incorporated in the device.y y

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective View of a modified form of slide holder.

Fig. 7 is a 'perspective irivv of a modified forni of picture displaying device.

Referring to the drawings, the picture displaying device comprises a casing II having a pair of inter-ocularly spaced lenses I2 through which an observer may View .sequentially illuminated pictures. The latter are in the form of transparencies mounted on slides I3 (see also Fig. 4) and composed of right .and left hand image components Ill and I5, respectively, of a scene.y ach slide is successively aligned .horizontally lyiritli the ields of viev of the lenses I2 While the riglf'itand left hand ima-ge compnents .off each picture are aligned 'laterally .with said fields of View of the right and left hand lenses, respectively, (as viewed in 1) so that .an observer, whenlo'oking through the device, Will obtain a third dimen sional view of the scene. For this purpose, the slides i3 having the rightand left hand picture components of a scene thereon are removably mounted in holders generally indicated at I6. The latter are mounted on a polygonally shaped drum I l, each holder comprising a pair of spaced 2 channels I8 having end pieces t9 and 2t in'- tegrally attached thereto to form a rigid unit. A center piece 2 t also' extending between thev cliannels il has a pair oi tabs `22 extending'therefrom and bent around the rim Ila of the drum 'as shown in Fig.l '2 to securely retain the holders `in place.V The slides are inserted in the holders by slipping the same' along the channels I8 until stopped by the cross pieces I9 forming lateral aligzier'fs Vfor the slides.

Referring to Figs. 2y :and l3, the drumlf'i is rotatably mountedon a stub shaft 2t' and is 11e@r tained thereon by a cap lsc'revv 2,5. The shaft 2e is secured to a plate 2li of insulating material, the latter extending in juxtaposition with the drum and securely attached toa spacer block 2i which, in turn; is secured to one leg `oa U shaped bracket 2.8. Bracket 28 is secured to a ,crfoss piece 3d of an open box 3i of trapeaoidal shape.- A second plate 32 'in juxtaposition with the' side' ,diY the drum vIl opposite the plate' 2.6 is secured to aspacer block 3.3 fixed toy rthe other leg .oi the bracket 218.-

A pair of electric lights Sil are threadaloly' mounted irl-sockets formed in the plates 2.6 zand 3-2 -an'd are `inclosed in housings .35 alsoV carried by the plates 2t and 32. A'vvindotv et is attached to each housing S5 in iron-t di lights f5@ and formed of translucent material such as tros' etched glass. These Windows are located behind Whichever of the slides i3 are in vies/ing position `so jas-to uniformly illuminate the' same.

norder to frame'the right ,and teit pia,Y ture components 'of a .scene being illuminated -a mask 3l is xedjly attached to the interior of ,the casing l I directly in iront of thepartieular slide located in -viewing position, said maskreot-angular openings 38 through which-t-. .eide may beviewed. Also, a 'Wall 3 9 is iorniedalong the center .of the casing II,I as viewed in, Fig.- 2, to restrict the righ-t and left hand image comme nents to their respective right and lett sides of the viewing'device Means are provided Vto intermittentlyadvance the'dru-m at equally timed 'intervals sol as to suce cessively position the various slides in viewing position. For this purpose arelatively slots speed electric imotor 4U is' attached as' by screxvs lil to the plate :32. 'The motor shaft 4ta of the former extends through the plate 32 :and has secured thereon a toothed disk l2 and a switch control cam 4.3. The disk 4t2 has a tooth 4.6 thereon'- adapted to engage, .insuccession each of a plurality of equally nspaced Narcuate detents 'd5 formed fin the rri-m Ila of the drum .Il whereby, during each rotation of the disk 4?', the drurn will be advanced-ian` angular .amount equal to the angular speci-ugs' of the various' slides on the drum.

For the purpose of centralizing the drum in its diierent positions a roller 46 is carried by a resillent mounting 41 secured at 48 to the plate 26, the mounting 4l yieldably forcing the roller 45 into one of the detents 45 when the drum is rotated to picture Viewing position.

Means are provided for automatically energizing and maintaining the motor 40 in operation until all of the slides I3 carried thereby have been successively located in viewing position. For this purpose, a second motor 50 is mounted in the box 3| and carries a cam 52 adapted on rotation thereof to close a switch |53 located in the circuit of the motor 60. The speed of motor 59 is, in the present instance, equal to one-tenth the speed of motor 4B sinceten slides are provided. However, in the event that dineren-t numbers of slides I3 are provided, the speed of motor 59 would be equal to the speed of the motor 49 divided by the number of such slides which are provided.

Means are provided for energizing the motor 59. Referring to Fig. 2, a push button 54 is slidably mounted in the wall of casing II and normally overlies a button 55 of a normally open switch G suitably secured to the bracket 28.

Describing now the electric circuit for the device, reference is had to the schematic diagram illustrated in. Fig. 5 wherein it will be seen that the motor 59 is provided in series with the normally open switch 55 across a power inlet 51. Upon energization of the motor 5U by closing switch 59, the cam 52 will be rotated, closing switch 53 whereby to energize a circuit, including conductors 50 and 59, for the motor 40. The motor 49 will thus be energized during the complete revolution of the motor 50. The lights 34 are connected in parallel with the circuit of motor 40, and provided in the circuit for the lights 34 is a normally closed switch 69 controlled by the above mentioned cam 43 which is carried by the motor shaft of motor 49. The shape of cam 43 is such that it will cause the switch 60 to open the light circuit during advancement of the drum I1 by the toothed disk 42 but will close such circuit immediately upon the drum I'I coming to rest.

The box 3l is arranged to be securely attached to a Wall or the like 6i, as by screws |62, and the casing I I is adapted to be readily removed therefrom to permit changing of the slides I3 or servicing of the unit. Referring to Fig, 3, the casing Il is provided at the top thereof with pins 62 loosely mounted in tabs 63 extending from the box 3I, thereby forming a hinge. A lock 64 is mounted on the lower end of the casing I I and is provided with a latch 65 which, when rotated into locking position, latches a lug 65 extending from the cross piece 39 of the box 3|, thereby preventing unauthorized removal of the casing. However, by releasing the lock and thereby withdrawing the latch 65 from the lug 66 the casing I i may be readily removed.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modied form of slide holder comprising a resilient clip 6l attached by a screw 68 to the drum II and having a bent over portion under which a slide, as at I3, may be inserted, the resilient pressure of the portion 70 retaining the slide I3 in position.

Fig. 7 illustrates a modied form of the displaying device in which the bracket 28 (see also Fig. 2) is secured to a base 'I2 which, in turn, is secured to the casing II. In this case, it is intended to mount the motor 50 in a different 1o- (iii f' picture transparencies around the cation and connect the same to the switch of the device through a flexible conductor 'I3 in the same manner as the conductor I4 (Fig. 2) is connected, thereby enabling the device to be moved about.

Having thus described the invention what I desire to secure by United States Letters Patent l. A stereoscopic picture viewer comprising a rotary hollow drum having a plurality of equally spaced detents arranged around the inner circumference of the wall thereof, means rotatably supporting said drum, means on said drum for xedly supporting a plurality of pairs of Stereo periphery thereof and with the surfaces of said transparencies extending at right angles to lines extending radially from the center of said drum, the transparencies of each said pair overhanging the opposite ends of said drum, an illustrating device adjacent each of the opposite ends of said drum for illuminating said transparencies from the rear, a toothed member, and means supporting said member within said drum for rotation about an axis extending parallel to and eccentrically of said drum wherein atooth of said member engages one of said detents during rotation of said member whereby to intermittently rotate said drum.

2. A stereoscopic picture viewer comprising a rotary hollow drum having a plurality of equally spaced detents arranged around the inner circumference of the wall thereof, means rotatably supporting said drum, means on said drum for xedly supporting a plurality of pairs of stereo picture transparencies around the periphery thereof and with the surfaces of said transparences extending at right angles to lines extending radially from the center of said drum, the transparencies of each said pair overhanging the opposite ends of said drum, an illuminating device adjacent each of the opposite ends of said drum for illuminating said transparencies from the rear, a toothed member, means supporting said member within said drum for rotation about an axis extending parallel to and eccentrically of said drum wherein a tooth of said member engages one of said detents during rotation of said member whereby to intermittently rotate said drum, and detenting means yieldably engaging successive ones of said detents during periods of rest 0f said drum.

CLARENCE S. MCCLELLAN.

REFERENCES CITED rihe following references are of record in the i-lle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 778,998 Passmore Jan. 3, 1905 874,940 Cole Dec. 31, 1907 1,313,241 Ashley Aug. 19, 1919 1,519,808 Christensen Dec. 15, 1924 1,544,364 Antoine et al. June 30, 1925 2,006,297 Eisemann June 25, 1935 2,299,973 Getten Oct. 27, 1942 2,318,874 Mast May 11, 1943 2,364,793 Jobe et al. Dec. 12, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 38,062 Sweden Feb. 12, 1912 

